


What Dreams Are Made Of

by BelfastDocks



Category: Fruits Basket, Fruits Basket - Takaya Natsuki (Manga)
Genre: Canon Compliant, F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-04
Updated: 2019-06-06
Packaged: 2019-07-07 02:29:40
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,220
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15899073
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BelfastDocks/pseuds/BelfastDocks
Summary: "Akito had wanted him to hire a male assistant. Typical! So very typical of Akito, and so inanely boorish. But then, Akito hadn't really wanted him to open a shop in the first place." AyameXMine, Lemon, Manga-Based





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Author's Note: I have no idea where this came from. It's really just some ramblings I did from Ayame's perspective. Ayame is a very taxing person for me, but being in his head was fun. I just wish it were more of a story instead of ending in a bunch of fluff. I confess, I've watched the anime and I know the basic storyline of the manga, but I'm also a very poor grad student, so I haven't had a chance to lay my hands on a copy of the entire manga series. If something is dreadfully off, do please let me know. I'm admitting here and now I haven't read the whole thing.
> 
> Spoiler Alert: If you've only watched the anime, there are spoilers for the manga regarding Akito.
> 
> Note About Relationships: I HINT at AyaXShigure, but this is definitely an AyaXMine story.
> 
> Superstitions: I have read in a few different places that snakes are considered lucky in Japan, particularly white snakes. I find Akito a very superstitious person, who would probably truly believe in folklore like that. However, I also think Akito would loathe Aya's personality. I do run with this theme heavily in the story.
> 
> Random: Like any fanfic writer, I love reviews and likes, because they give me a sense of gratification - something I don't often get in graduate school. Constructive criticism is welcome as long as you are nice about it. Since I haven't read the manga, I would like to know if anything is dreadfully off.
> 
> ~BD

****

## What Dreams Are Made Of

****

He met Mine when he placed an advertisement for an assistant. He must have interviewed nearly thirty applicants that day, but no one seemed "just right". And then _she_ walked in: bubbly, yet a little sadistic, and he was immediately intrigued.

It must have been her glasses, he thought. He had always been a bit partial to girls in glasses. Even when Shigure wore them to read, it made Aya's skin tingle pleasantly. Glasses were sexy, no two ways about it.

Of course, Akito had wanted him to hire a _male_ assistant. Typical! So very typical of Akito, and so inanely _boorish_. But then, Akito hadn't _really_ wanted him to open a shop in the first place.

Ayame was known for nothing if not his flamboyant disregard for rules, which irritated Akito to no ends, but the stipulations of the Curse kept Ayame from outright disobeying Akito. It was only Akito's eventual, though reluctant permission that allowed Ayame to open the lingerie store. He wasn't certain why the sullen head of the Sohma family ended up agreeing at all; it wasn't as if _she_ would ever wear such clothing as Aya so brilliantly created. He suspected Shigure's hand, but even _that_ was hard to prove. Well, if Shigure could get their evil mistress to dress as a candy-coated sweet Lolita princess, all the better, and Aya would personally make such an outfit if he remotely thought it would change Akito's disposition.

But all in all, it was best not to ask questions, and just be grateful that permission was given. He had gone into a long-winded monologue of gratitude when Akito summoned him to give him the news, and the meeting ended with a vein twitching horribly in Akito's temple and the threat of throwing Aya out of the window.

Ayame didn't think Akito would _actually_ follow through with such a threat, though. While it was perfectly true that she had no qualms about physically or mentally harming the majority of the zodiac members, she was also highly superstitious – too superstitious to harm the zodiac's symbol of good luck and monetary fortune, which Aya represented. That had been the story of his childhood – snakes were lucky, and no matter how much Akito despised Aya personally, she would never physically harm him, for fear of bringing additional misfortune to herself. So she took her anger out on Yuki instead, because Akito was a sadistic bitch that way.

Her final words to Aya about the whole thing were to cruelly warn him, with that horrible smile on her face, that if he _did_ hire a female assistant and if such an assistant _did_ ever find out about the Curse, Ayame would pay dearly.

Maybe she'd throw a vase at him and destroy his eyesight; then he and Hari would be a matching set! Wouldn't Hari just love that?

(Hari had actually, _physically_ lobbed him out into the cold when Ayame made _that_ comment over tea, and slammed the shōji behind him.)

And so, Ayame had set out _deliberately_ to hire a female assistant, and he heard via Hatori that when Akito saw the advertisement in the paper, she had shredded the paper into tiny bits and no one had dared speak to her all week. But she couldn't hurt the Snake of the Zodiac, or she'd have bad luck, and that was a deliciously comforting thought that Ayame relished. Later, he was sorry to say he never once thought of Yuki, or that Akito mightn't attack Yuki in Aya's place if it all went horribly awry.

And, really, to his credit, Mine didn't find out about the Curse for all of two whole days. He considered it a wonderful record and was quite proud that he'd managed to go 48 hours without an incident, in such close proximity to such a beautiful woman. But inevitably, she came out from the rear of the shop on the morning of the third day, dressed in the romantic aristocratic Lolita style, just as he was going into the back to bring out a bolt of fabric. They'd collided _spectacularly_ , he later told his two best friends, _like two stars forming a beautiful nebula in the heavens_!

(Hari threatened to throw him out again if he continued with such ridiculous, prosaic drabble.)

But it wasn't quite as prosaic is Aya made it sound, though. In truth, Mine's glasses had tumbled off, Aya had gotten lost in the long Chinese tunic he was wearing, and they had both crashed to the floor. By the time Mine retrieved her glasses, she had stared, dumbfounded, at his rumpled clothing before looking up into the shop and hesitatingly calling his name, as though she thought perhaps he had somehow stripped naked and bolted away from her.

"Down here," he'd called out blithely – and she'd looked back down to discover something moving beneath the fabric.

"Now, don't panic," he added, resolutely remaining beneath the tunic for a few moments. " _Promise_ me you won't panic?"

"I... uh... promise?"

Taking a deep breath, he'd plunged into an explanation of the Zodiac Curse, all the while remaining under his clothes, and when he finally finished and poked his head out cautiously from beneath the folds of fabric, she was still sitting there, watching him through her glasses, a look of wonder on her face.

"Oh! You really are a snake! What a pretty color! Are you venomous?"

"No, certainly not! Though I do have fangs."

"Aren't you adorable?" She picked him up and cradled him in her palms, before he had a chance to say a word, and looked him straight in the eye. "I promise I won't tell a soul! How amazing! I was born in a year of the snake, you know."

He'd changed back then, in a poof of silver smoke, toppled onto his arse, and grabbed his tunic to cover himself before she could see much. But Mine didn't seem remotely bothered by his nudity.

"You mustn't tell _any_ one," he re-emphasized, practically begging. "Or the horrible head of the Sohma family will erase your memory and lock me in a prison for the rest of my life. And I really don't want either of those things to happen. You do understand, don't you, Mine?"

"Of course!" She looked cheerfully resolute, and helped him to his feet. "I'll make sure the customers don't bump into you, either! We'll be a great team, sir!"

"That's a good girl!" He beamed at her, giddy that she wasn't upset or panicky or angry or grossed out. It must have been all the manga she read, which was immensely helpful.

However, it was at least a month later before he had the courage to try and kiss her. They were working at a table together, and he'd turned to tell her something about the bias of the fabric. She glanced up at him, her eyes large and curious behind her glasses, and he'd trailed off. After a moment, he roused himself, bent, and brushed his mouth to hers to see what would happen. A pleasant jolt ran down his spine; he hadn't kissed a girl in a long time.

(Shigure didn't count of course, because Shigure was a man.)

Naturally, Mine threw her arms around his neck to enthusiastically kiss him back, and he immediately transformed. She made a frustrated noise and fished him out of his tunic.

"I'm _so_ sorry!" she'd gasped. "I forgot!"

"No, no! It's fine! I hope you aren't angry with me?"

She laughed and held him cradled in her palms at eye level. "Of course not. I've been wondering when you would try. I must say, it was quite nice."

"Well that's good to hear! I've only ever kissed one other girl, back when I was in school. I had to kiss her over a desk so she wouldn't grab me. It was very unpleasant, I must say."

Mine's eyebrows furrowed in thought. "I'll have to think on this," she mused. "We'll have to experiment a bit, if you don't mind."

"My, but that _does_ sound intriguing."

"But you kissed very well, for only a second time!"

He changed back at that very moment. She didn't seem remotely surprised to find him standing nude in front of her. Ayame grinned at her. "Just because I haven't kissed a _girl_ in a while doesn't mean I haven't kissed a _boy_ in a while."

Her eyes widened, and he pulled his tunic and slacks back on, smug that he had caught her slightly off guard for once.

(Shigure laughed his ass off when Aya related this story, because that was what Shigure was prone to do when he thought something was hilariously funny. Hari glared at Aya and told him Akito would have his head on a platter if he kept on the way he was, which sobered them all up in a trice.)

He and Mine tried all sorts of fun positions after that, and after a couple of weeks, they started scheduling it into their day, as if making out and shagging were just other customers that needed a time slot. It was grand fun, and Aya found his favorite position was lying on his back while Mine drove herself down on him, usually with leather straps wrapped around her torso in a mock bondage style.

(Shigure asked if they could try something similar sometime, while Hari rolled his eyes and muttered something that sounded distinctly like _masochist arse_ under his breath.)

But there were other positions and much more fun to be had, with the occasionally slip up and puff of smoke. It was quite awkward to suddenly find himself coiled between her wet thighs when moments before he had been driving himself into her.

(He didn't tell Hari about that – otherwise he'd hear the word _bestiality_ and he didn't think he could bear it. Shigure, on the other hand, merely smiled wryly and admitted that something similar had happened to him once, right when the girl climaxed, and he'd had to bolt outside before she saw him as a dog. Damned embarrassing, Shigure had agreed.)

The day the curse broke, Ayame felt it like an electric shock – as if something snapped inside of him and released, almost like an orgasm. At that moment, he couldn't help but grab her and hold her close. He relished how delicious it was to fold her into his body without transforming. He insisted they close the shop early, and Mine readily agreed. They rushed upstairs together, tumbling into their small flat while stripping out of clothes. He couldn't wait to feel her breasts mashing into his chest, or her hips snug and damp against his. Their lips connected and he lifted her to the bed; she wrapped her legs around his waist and moaned as he pressed her into the sheets.

"What happened? What made it break?" she gasped, as Aya sucked greedily on her breasts. Her fists were tangled in his long silky hair and her hips were grinding into his.

He didn't know what caused the curse to break and he didn't really give a damn – probably something to do with that cat and Tohru, if he had to make an educated guess – but driving himself into Mine was more important at that moment. She arched against him, her body bowing off the bed and into his.

Afterwards, when they weren't quite so desperate and lust had been somewhat sated, she rolled to face him and asked again.

He merely shook his head. "I don't know," he admitted. "But it _is_ broken." He smiled suddenly at her. "You do realize that this means you and I can get married if we wish."

Her eyes lit up, and to his delight, she began to describe her perfect wedding dress, sitting up cross-legged on the bed, completely nude, her eyes sparkling as she talked of lacy fabric and ribbons.

And in his head, Aya began designing the dress as she explained it, making a mental note to thank Tohru next time he saw her, for it was somehow _her_ doing that they could all find happiness and not suffer the curse until they died.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **Author's Note:** Last August, an anonymous reviewer on FFnet asked for another one-shot centering around Shigure for this fandom. It's taken me a bit to write it, because Akito and Shigure are two very difficult characters for me, especially not having read the full manga (note: life of a poor grad student). I don't know who posted the review or if they will see this, but if they do, I hope they enjoy it.
> 
> Since I haven't read the entire manga, I will welcome constructive thoughts on this piece. Flames are ignored, but I'll gladly take advice from those who have read the manga. I do know the story and I've read manga synopses, so I'm aware of what happens at the end of the story. Still, I may have missed finer details that could be important to this relationship. I also have not read Fruits Basket Another, so there may be details in there that I'm unfamiliar with entirely aside from the fact that they have kids.
> 
>  **Spoiler Alert:** If you've only watched the first anime (I read there's a second coming out that will follow the manga, SQUEE) then this contains spoilers for the manga regarding Akito, Shigure, etc.
> 
>  **Pairing:** Shigure x Akito, Ayame x Mine
> 
>  **Rating:** M for masterba- er, mature.
> 
>  **Disblaimers:** In case you were under some weird illusion that I might possibly own Fruits Basket...okay let's face it, none of you think that and I don't own it. LOL
> 
> ~BD

## 

The Amazing Properties of A Piece of Fabric _-or-_ Akito Commissions Ayame for Lingerie 

_"I'm sorry, we're closed right now! We'll open again tomorrow morning at –"_

_She trailed off. The woman standing just inside the door was slender and aloof, pale as marble and slightly intimidating. Few people intimidated Mine, but there was something very different about_ this _woman._

_After a long pause, in which the woman seemed to critically appraise Mine with a slight sneer, she tilted her chin and said with perfect regality, "I'm actually here to see Aya-kun."_

oOo

"There's a woman in the shop."

"Did you tell her we were closed?"

She bit her lower lip, which was something she never did, and Ayame felt his eyebrows lift. Customers never intimidated Mine – she usually intimidated others.

"She said she was here to see _Aya-kun_."

He rose slowly, trying to piece the situation together, but it wasn't making much sense. Few females in the world called him _Aya-kun_. Mine followed him down the narrow staircase to the shop level, and he began to muse aloud.

"It must be another Zodiac member, though I can't imagine which one. Who on earth would want wear our brilliant creations? Rin? No, Haru wouldn't know what to do with her, and it's really not her style at all, unless we did something terribly gothic. Certainly not Kisa, she's far too young, though she would look absolutely adorable! We _must_ try that sometime! Aristocratic Lolita would be best, I think... Hmm, Kagura, perhaps? Though, now that I think about it… it might be _Ritsu_ – he _dresses_ like a woman but he's not really –"

He entered the shop at that moment, and his voice immediately trailed off. If he had thought Mine's attitude had been odd, or the concept that a Zodiac member had ventured into his store, it was _nothing_ compared to the shocking reality.

Across the shop, lit by late afternoon sunlight streaming in from the windows, she cut her eyes at him – narrowed and calculating, manipulating the situation even though she was dressed in a kimono now.

But what on _earth_ was she doing _here_?

After a long, tense pause, the corner of her mouth turned slightly upwards and she drawled, "I must say, it was worth it just to see you speechless for once, _Aya_."

oOo

Mine had the good grace to leave them alone and retreat upstairs, though Aya suspected some of it was fear. Akito had that ability. The woman could terrify worms if she felt like it, and probably had just for fun.

But perhaps that wasn't quite right. She was a bit different today, somehow. After all, he had heard from Hari and Shigure that she had _willingly_ gone _alone_ to the hospital to visit Tohru. That she had apologized to Kureno, and that she was wearing women's clothing for once in her life. He just hadn't expected her to show up at _his_ place. She had no reason to do so. She loathed him. She had not physically or mentally scarred him in the ways she had so many others because she was superstitious, but she _loathed_ him. She certainly wasn't here to apologize for anything.

That narrowed the reasons for her visit down to trivial stuff like _conversation_ , and heaven knew Akito was _not_ here to discuss the weather.

"How is Tohru?" He didn't sound like himself when he asked the question. His voice dropped to a somber, quiet tone. Regardless of why Akito was here, it wouldn't do to deliberately irritate her, not when she had made so much progress in the past few days. Shigure would murder him alive.

Creatively.

And enjoy it.

Akito's expression was pinched. She moved to the left to examine a dress on a mannequin. "Recovering," was the clipped response. She gently lifted the hem of the garment with two fingers to examine the lace. "This is a pretty color."

"Yes well, I am partial to that shade." He didn't elaborate, but she guessed.

Dryly, she remarked, "It's the same color as your eyes, isn't it? I should have known. You always were vain as hell."

Without waiting for a response, she moved on to the next mannequin, eyeing the frilly skirt with distaste.

Well, fuck. There was nothing else for it; he was going to have to ask her outright why she was here.

"Forgive me, but I really have no idea as to what I owe the pleasure of such an honored visit."

She had moved on past another mannequin and was curiously looking at the fourth. "I wanted to see for myself what you did with your time."

 _That's not it either_ , he thought. The reason for why she was here was not to look at clothing. It was maddening, trying to guess Akito's thoughts, because she hid them so damned well.

"I make dreams come true, of course," he said, attempting a tad of his usual flare, mostly to see what she would do.

She gave him an annoyed look.

He sighed and his voice returned to a quieter tone. "People like imagining things," he clarified, somber again. "They want to believe they can be anything, when they can't. So I help make their dreams come true by creating these outfits. The sexier line is in the back of the shop, so the under-aged clients won't accidentally see anything naughty. That's one reason I have so many bolts of fabric at the front of the store – to distract people."

Akito gazed back up at one of the mannequins, faceless with a long pink curly wig. The dress was a lacy confection of pastels and ribbon, perfect for Tohru or Kisa.

"And people actually like this sort of thing?" she asked. There was a hint of disdain in her voice, but more curiosity than anything else.

"Some people do."

"Do men like it?"

Ayame shrugged and walked around the mannequin, gazing up at the back of the dress, which was laced with a thick, pale pink ribbon. "Many men do, but I suppose not _all_. Though really, I can't imagine what man _wouldn't_ like a woman dressed up for him in _some_ way. Even a gay man would like his significant other dressed up prettily, I should think."

She turned and kept meandering about the shop, stopping to look at certain dresses or petticoats or stockings.

Perhaps she really _did_ just want to see the shop. That wasn't like Akito, but he supposed anything was possible.

She finally stopped by a mannequin that featured a darker style, a military look. It wasn't Ayame's favorite design, but he wryly thought that it suited Akito better than some of the other styles in the shop. She wasn't exactly a Lolita type of woman, and he wasn't certain he _wanted_ to picture her in the lingerie in the back of the store.

She reached one long, slender finger up and traced the leather straps that bound the torso of the dress, creating a crisscross pattern. Her brow puckered slightly. "Do you think... Shigure likes this sort of thing?"

As soon as the words left her mouth, he saw the grimace in her expression.

 _Ah_. So they were _finally_ at the reason she was here, the _real_ reason, and it shocked him nearly as much as seeing her in his shop had. It was evident that it had taken her a massive amount of courage to even ask him such a thing; he was one of Shigure's two closest friends, he had a big mouth on top of that, and she had never liked him – their personalities clashed horribly. But this wasn't something she could ask anyone else. Her expression made it very clear that if he dared to even smirk, she would storm out and threaten him with dismemberment.

He managed not to smirk, but he didn't manage to keep the surprise from his voice. "Is that why you're really here?" he blurted.

He saw the way she stiffened, the way her mouth drew into a thin, tight line, and he hurried forward, reaching out as if to touch her shoulder, but knowing full well that actually doing so was a bad idea. So instead, he drew his hand back quickly, smiled, and tried to sound reassuring. "No, no. Don't worry. I wouldn't dare tell anyone. I know that's what you're thinking, that I would tell _everyone_ , but I wouldn't. My customers can rest assured they have my full confidentiality. You're not the only person who has hesitated to ask for something." He looked back at the military-style Lolita costume, and mused slowly, "To answer your question, I think Shigure _would_ play along. He would do a lot for you."

She twitched, but she didn't bolt for the door or hit him. Her hands clenched and she drew herself up again, falling back on intimidation. "You needn't remind me," she snapped.

"I didn't mean it that way." He rested the back of his hand beneath his chin, thinking, and decided to put the ball back in her court, as it were. "I can design something for you, if you'd like. Something unique. And if you'd rather not, I won't ever mention it again."

Akito wrinkled her lip and looked back at the mannequin. She was thinking, and Ayame waited – there was nothing else _to_ do, and it wouldn't do to irritate Akito further.

Mine's voice suddenly spoke from behind him, and he jumped slightly.

"Tea is ready."

When he turned, she was smiling graciously, and she bowed politely to Akito. "Perhaps you would like to discuss this further over tea, Sohma-dono?"

Ayame stared at Mine. She was asking Akito to have _tea_ with them? Was she _insane_?

But Akito's response caught him just as much by surprise. She swept past Ayame before he had a chance to respond, stating that she would indeed like to have tea. Mine smiled at him again as soon as Akito was past her and couldn't see her expression.

_Bloody hell._

He was about to have tea with Akito and Mine, to discuss the possibility of making Akito a piece of lingerie or a Lolita costume to entice _Shigure_. He could not _fathom_ a more bizarre twist to his day.

oOo

Two days later, Ayame dropped by Sohma house to deliver the delectable (if he did say so himself) creation he'd made for Akito, under strictest secret. It was a stunning black and red piece of lingerie, with just a tad of lace here and there amongst the translucent, clingy silk, and perfectly fitted to her lithe measurements.

(Mine had taken the measurements, of course – Aya daren't touch Akito. He wasn't sure if he feared Akito or Shigure more.)

Akito had coolly thanked him, agreed to pay his store rent for the month in exchange for his services, and told him that if Shigure liked his work, she would pay another month of rent and request another piece.

His eyebrows had gone into his hairline at that point. It was strange, this odd transformation in Akito, but he didn't dare question it. Instead, he bowed to the floor out of politeness and thanked her for her generosity, because it was stupid to anger Akito. Shigure would kill him for that, too – and never mind the fact that Shigure had angered Akito on far more occasions than Aya likely had.

When Akito dismissed him, Aya naturally meandered his way to Hari's quarters, for it wouldn't do to visit the main house and not call on Hari. He found his two best friends drinking tea on the porch, though he hadn't expected Shigure. Hari looked placid as usual, but Shigure looked annoyed.

It wasn't like him to be at Sohma house unless he had been summoned, Aya thought distantly. Akito had kicked him out just before Torhu had come into their lives.

So he commented, "My, but that _is_ a sour face. What on earth is the matter with you, Shigure?"

"He was summoned today," Hari responded. "And he was apparently in a mood to write, instead."

Shigure turned to dramatic flare the second Aya appeared, pouting and sighing in that way that always irritated Hari to no ends.

"I'm writing a new book," he moaned, "and our head of house has no consideration for us working stiffs!"

It was hard for Aya not to smirk, since he was slightly more privy to the actual reason for Shigure's summons, though he couldn't possibly let Shigure know that. So he said evasively, "You never know. Perhaps she just wants to talk to you."

At this remark, the silly dramatic flare ended abruptly and Shigure's real personality simmered in his eyes as he glared at Ayame. His voice dropped to a lower pitch and he said with mock carelessness, "I doubt the recent transformation extends quite _that_ far. You're always so positive, Aya. I envy you that. Even if she did accept a kimono from me." He smiled sarcastically.

"Come now! The sun is shining, the curse is broken, Akito made up with Tohru and Kureno, she's worn your kimono, and I'm going to marry Mine. I really don't know what you're so down about, Shigure."

Shigure nearly spit tea out; Hari merely kept sipping his, while staring off across the compound.

" _Marry_? My, but you _are_ one for secrets, Aya! And here I thought you were going to marry _me_ all along! I'm tragically crushed, darling, to be tossed aside like an old shoe, when we've –"

Hari cut him off. "If you don't _shut up_ , I will pour boiling tea in your _lap_."

Shigure smiled and turned the drama off again. "Fine, fine. Lucky you, Aya. Congratulations. I suspect Tohru and Kyo will be next, now that the curse has broken. Won't that be a sappy little wedding? If he doesn't get her pregnant, first."

"Stop sounding so bitter." Hari put his cup down and rose gracefully. "Just because Akito hasn't fully made up with _you_ yet is no reason to take it out on everyone else." With that, he retreated into his office, leaving the door open and Shigure and Aya on the porch.

Ayame noticed the way Shigure's eyes darkened, and so he said quietly, "Don't worry. I'm sure she'll will make up with you, too."

Shigure glanced at his watch, his expression still sour. "Keep dreaming, Aya. It suits you. You always were a dreamer." Without another word, he placed his cup back on the tray, rose, tossed his jacket over his shoulder in that careless manner he possessed, and sauntered off down the path towards the main residence.

As soon as Shigure disappeared around the corner, Hari's voice drifted through the open shōji. "You seem quite confident about that. About Akito making up with him, I mean."

Aya was still watching the path, even though Shigure had disappeared. "Perhaps that's because I _am_ confident," he mused softly.

oOo

Maybe he _was_ too bitter. And Hari was right – he didn't need to take it out on his two oldest friends. But they were the only ones who _really_ knew him – it wasn't as if he could let any of the younger generation see who he really was, that he wasn't always the happy-go-lucky type of person they thought they knew. Sometimes it was a relief to be around Aya and Hari, just because he didn't have to act so much. At least the drama he played with Aya was just that – over-the-top and well rehearsed. Hari and Aya knew it was just play-acting. They'd been doing it for years, after all.

The trouble was, he didn't much feel like it today. Akito had made up with Tohru and Kureno, she had accepted the kimono he had offered and switched her clothing to more feminine attire, and she was making a conscious effort to change. It was mostly serving to shock the majority of people, except Ren, who would likely remain furious and bitter for the rest of her life. Perhaps Akito was doing it deliberately for the shock factor...that would be just like her. But then again, perhaps she was really serious. One could only hope, if they were an avid dreamer like Ayame.

As for Shigure – well, Hari was right. He hadn't quite been forgiven yet, not like Tohru and Kureno, at any rate. His transgressions went a little deeper. Whether Akito would believe the truth... that he had acted out of his love for her to find a way to break the curse... who knew? As far as sleeping with Ren, that was another issue entirely, and he supposed his argument that he'd done it out of revenge for Akito sleeping with Kureno wouldn't go over well.

A maid admitted him into Akito's quarters. Akito was nowhere in sight, which was odd and confusing; usually she was in the center of the room waiting to play mental games with her prey.

The maid bowed and said quietly, "If you please, you will be seen in the next room, sir." Without further explanation, she backed out of the room and closed the shōji behind her.

Shigure sighed. Damn Akito and her whims; one never knew what she was going to do next, which was exhausting. He wasn't in a mood for this little scene today, which meant it would end badly. Visiting Akito while either of them was in a foul mood never ended well - if they were _both_ in a foul mood, it would be apocalyptic.

He glared at the shōji opposite him before he sighed and strode to the doors. He really wanted a cigarette, but smoking around Akito was a sure-fire way to piss her off, so he just opened the door unceremoniously and clicked it shut a little forcefully behind him.

Akito was standing with her back to him, gazing out of a window. She was wearing a long black robe, and her futon was still on the floor; he wondered why she hadn't put it away for the day, but there was no telling what was going through her head anymore. Maybe she didn't feel well. _That_ was certainly plausible – even a slight headache could keep Akito in bed, moaning and complaining for hours.

"Breaking tradition today, are we?" he drawled, tossing his jacket into a nearby chair.

Her head lifted slightly, but she didn't look around. "You're in a bad mood."

It was a statement, not a question.

"I was working today."

"So sorry to disturb you, then," she sneered.

He raked a hand through his hair and tried to forget how much he wanted nicotine. "What do you want, Akito?" He tried to make it sound polite, but even that was hard – he wanted a damn cigarette.

She turned, her eyes dark and smoldering, meeting his in a different way than anger. He felt his breath hitch in his chest. And without any warning, she let the robe slide away, pooling around her feet in a puddle of inky black. She stepped out of it, crossing the floor, over the futon, and all the way to him.

What the _hell_ was she wearing? It was as sexy as anything he had ever seen, and he had _never_ seen Akito wear anything of the sort. Black leather straps wound around red silk, practically _see-through_ red silk, for her nipples were dark behind the filmy fabric. Black lace trimmed the bottom, and the skimpy knickers matched. It accented her modest breasts, the leather straps done in such a way as to push her breasts up and make them appear full and plump. Sweet fucking Buddha, she looked like something out of one of those trashy romance novels he wrote to supplement his income.

His mouth went completely dry as Akito slid her hands up his chest, her fingers winding around his tie and pulling the knot out. She smiled coyly at him, slyly, her eyes still dark and lustful.

"Very well, then. You can go back to your work, if you'd like," she offered quietly, still sneering at him. "I won't keep you."

 _Ayame_.

Fucking hell, this was _Aya's_ fault. It didn't make the _first_ bit of sense, but the _only_ place she could have gotten lingerie like this was Aya's store.

She had his tie loose and her fingers were slipping his shirt buttons out. "I know how much you love weaving little fantasies... putting them on paper..."

He finally found his tongue, but it felt swollen – much like his cock. "I could use some new inspiration, actually."

"Hmm." The corner of her mouth curved upward and her nails bit lightly into his chest before she undid the next button. "What sort of inspiration?"

A sane part of his brain screamed at him that they should probably have a talk before tumbling madly into bed. She had kicked him out of the main house when she discovered he had slept with Ren, never mind that she had slept with Kureno. Their interaction ever since had been forced and strained. The fact that she wanted to have sex with him so suddenly seemed more like a warning – that she could still use him... still manipulate him. And worse, that he would _allow_ himself to be manipulated and used, because he was the Dog and she was Akito.

But then she was talking again, pulling his shirt out of his slacks. "I owe you an apology," she murmured, focusing on his chest while her fingers curled around his belt.

His eyes widened. _Akito_? _Apologizing_?

She went on, "You were trying to break the curse for my sake. I understand that now, even if I hated you at the time. I know I'm not perfect, Shigure. I know you may not want me anymore." She was falling back on regality, stiff formality, giving him an out even as her hands slid inside his slacks and curled around his throbbing erection. Her eyes fluttered closed and she murmured, almost helplessly, "Oh gods, just as I remember..."

He grabbed her and kissed her. His blood was too hot, racing and burning, and she tangled her fingers in his hair. The sharp pull on his scalp was deliciously perfect, just as he remembered. God, why had he fucked the two of them up so badly? He should have known better. All he ever wanted was _this_ , was _Akito_. Not Akito as head of the Sohma family, giving orders and manipulating the world, but Akito as _his_ , _just_ his, and no one else's...

She was pulling him towards the futon, her hips grinding against his, and he tugged at the leather straps.

" _Nyhhn_ , not yet," she whispered.

He was panting, willing to do whatever she wanted, just so long as she let him make love to her. As they both sank to the futon, she pushed him onto his back and straddled him, smirking coyly at him. Her fingers nimbly unfastened his slacks, stroking and pulling him out. She lifted herself up and slipped the scrap of silky red panties – if they could be called that, he thought, because they were really indecently thin, like a string – to the side and took him straight in.

His hips bucked off the futon and her head snapped back with a groan of pleasure, and before he quite realized it, they were thrusting wildly. He sat up and pulled her hard against him, ripping at the leather straps and grappling her breasts with the silk between them, pushing the lingerie up so her belly melded into his. He flipped them and she pushed his slacks down with her feet. His mouth latched onto one of her nipples through the fabric and she cried out, her fingers tightening in his hair. Then she'd had enough and flipped them back over so she was on top again, driving herself down on his throbbing cock as if she had no other thought in the world.

It was wild and hazy and desperate, and afterwards, lying on the futon and gasping for air, half dressed and sticky, he wondered if he had made a mistake. He glanced to his side; Akito was lying beside him, her eyes closed and her breathing heavy. The red silk concoction that Aya had dreamed up was in shreds, one of the leather straps still across her bare torso and another over her hip. He swallowed and looked away. If he kept staring they'd be at it again in minutes. He had to pull himself together.

"It was always you," she murmured. Her voice was barely audible.

His hands clenched. "Don't –"

"No." She rolled into his side, her head dropping heavily to the crook between his shoulder, arm and chest. "I mean it. Don't make me say it again."

"What do you want?"

"You. I know the curse is broken and you have every right to do what you wish... I have no right to ask you to stay... but..."

He wrapped his arm around her and sighed. "I want to stay."

Akito exhaled a shaky breath that he hadn't realized she'd been holding. "Good."


End file.
